Posted 5:58 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, 2012
[caption id="attachment_9702" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Kyle Burkhamer and Kelsey Wieneke in 331 Cowley Hall."]
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Kyle Burkhamer met the love of his life because of the Green Bay Packers. Missing the Pack on Monday night football caused the young man to rethink his UW-La Crosse class schedule in fall 2008. He changed his plant biology lab to Wednesday evenings and recalls walking into a packed 331 Cowley Hall two weeks into the semester.
He wondered where he would sit and a pretty brunette in the corner asked, “Would you like to come sit by me?”
“I thought ‘he’s pretty cute,'” recalls Kelsey Wieneke, a biology major at the time. “I wanted to be the first one to extend the invitation.”
Burkhamer sat down and the two started chatting. Both were active, outgoing and enjoyed sports. They soon started dating and their ability to laugh and talk never died — especially when it came to medical science.
“We could be driving or simply hanging out and we’d be talking about medical stuff — bouncing ideas of each other — almost quizzing each other,” recalls Burkhamer. “Sometimes we’d stop and think — ‘Hey, did we just have a conversation about medicine? That’s kinda nerdy. Good thing we’re the only ones here.’”
The two graduated in spring 2010 and are still together. Wieneke is going to nursing school at UW-Oshkosh and Burkhamer is in the Physican Assistant graduate program at UW-L. Over Thanksgiving the two came back to La Crosse, bummed around downtown and planned to go out for dinner and drinks. But first Burkhamer said he needed to drop off a book for a friend at Cowley Hall. Wieneke sat in the car and waited in the parking lot while Burkhamer ran inside. The minutes rolled by as Wieneke waited.
“I started getting antsy,” says Wieneke. “Like — ‘hey, let’s go eat.’”
Just then her cell phone rang. Burkhamer’s voice was excited. His friend had a puppy in the lab where he was studying and it was a Beagle — Wieneke’s favorite dog.
“I can't turn down a chance to play with one of those,” explains Wieneke.
Burkhamer met her at the big glass doors to Cowley Hall and the two walked up to the third floor and continued down the hall. Wieneke realized the classroom lab where they first met was coming up.
“Oh yeah I think you're right," said Burkhamer.
They slowed down by the door to room 331.
“I thought it was a funny coincidence that this kid was studying in that room,” says Wieneke.
Burkhamer opened the door and Wieneke walked in.
“I went just inside the door and stopped,” she says. “My mouth dropped. I think I started shaking a little bit. I’m like what is going on?”
A radio on the desk was playing their favorite song. Rose petals led a path to the desk where three years ago she had asked him to sit. Burkhamer took her by the hand and led her to the table. He got down on his knee and pulled out a ring.
"Since this is where it all started, I thought it would only be fitting that this was the place where I ask you to begin the rest of your life with me,” he told her.
Wieneke was crying and asked, “Are you serious?”
He said, “Yes, will you marry me?”
“To say that I was in complete shock would be an understatement,” she says. “I kept looking at my ring and smiling and laughing. I can't even describe how happy and excited I was in that moment.”
She said, “Yes!”
As for the puppy? There was no Beagle in the room.
“Now, looking back, I’m like how did I believe that — someone studying by himself with a new puppy?” she asks sarcastically.
But she does have a great story to tell.
“I’m fortunate enough to have a very special girl,” says Burkhamer. “I felt like she deserves something special she’ll remember the rest of her life.”
Burkhamer gives a special thanks to Dana Hering, University Centers Reservations, for coordinating use of the biology room.
[/caption]
Kyle Burkhamer met the love of his life because of the Green Bay Packers. Missing the Pack on Monday night football caused the young man to rethink his UW-La Crosse class schedule in fall 2008. He changed his plant biology lab to Wednesday evenings and recalls walking into a packed 331 Cowley Hall two weeks into the semester.
He wondered where he would sit and a pretty brunette in the corner asked, “Would you like to come sit by me?”
“I thought ‘he’s pretty cute,'” recalls Kelsey Wieneke, a biology major at the time. “I wanted to be the first one to extend the invitation.”
Burkhamer sat down and the two started chatting. Both were active, outgoing and enjoyed sports. They soon started dating and their ability to laugh and talk never died — especially when it came to medical science.
“We could be driving or simply hanging out and we’d be talking about medical stuff — bouncing ideas of each other — almost quizzing each other,” recalls Burkhamer. “Sometimes we’d stop and think — ‘Hey, did we just have a conversation about medicine? That’s kinda nerdy. Good thing we’re the only ones here.’”
The two graduated in spring 2010 and are still together. Wieneke is going to nursing school at UW-Oshkosh and Burkhamer is in the Physican Assistant graduate program at UW-L. Over Thanksgiving the two came back to La Crosse, bummed around downtown and planned to go out for dinner and drinks. But first Burkhamer said he needed to drop off a book for a friend at Cowley Hall. Wieneke sat in the car and waited in the parking lot while Burkhamer ran inside. The minutes rolled by as Wieneke waited.
“I started getting antsy,” says Wieneke. “Like — ‘hey, let’s go eat.’”
Just then her cell phone rang. Burkhamer’s voice was excited. His friend had a puppy in the lab where he was studying and it was a Beagle — Wieneke’s favorite dog.
“I can't turn down a chance to play with one of those,” explains Wieneke.
Burkhamer met her at the big glass doors to Cowley Hall and the two walked up to the third floor and continued down the hall. Wieneke realized the classroom lab where they first met was coming up.
“Oh yeah I think you're right," said Burkhamer.
They slowed down by the door to room 331.
“I thought it was a funny coincidence that this kid was studying in that room,” says Wieneke.
Burkhamer opened the door and Wieneke walked in.
“I went just inside the door and stopped,” she says. “My mouth dropped. I think I started shaking a little bit. I’m like what is going on?”
A radio on the desk was playing their favorite song. Rose petals led a path to the desk where three years ago she had asked him to sit. Burkhamer took her by the hand and led her to the table. He got down on his knee and pulled out a ring.
"Since this is where it all started, I thought it would only be fitting that this was the place where I ask you to begin the rest of your life with me,” he told her.
Wieneke was crying and asked, “Are you serious?”
He said, “Yes, will you marry me?”
“To say that I was in complete shock would be an understatement,” she says. “I kept looking at my ring and smiling and laughing. I can't even describe how happy and excited I was in that moment.”
She said, “Yes!”
As for the puppy? There was no Beagle in the room.
“Now, looking back, I’m like how did I believe that — someone studying by himself with a new puppy?” she asks sarcastically.
But she does have a great story to tell.
“I’m fortunate enough to have a very special girl,” says Burkhamer. “I felt like she deserves something special she’ll remember the rest of her life.”
Burkhamer gives a special thanks to Dana Hering, University Centers Reservations, for coordinating use of the biology room.